WWT welcomes spotlight on barriers to migration
This weekend, World Migratory Bird Day (9-10 May) throws the spotlight on the threat posed by man-made barriers to the migration of hundreds of thousands of ducks, geese and swans. Over the years, studies by conservation organisations including WWT have shown that migrating birds have to navigate a multitude of man-made barriers on their arduous journeys.
Migration flyways can be hindered by wind farms, power lines, and TV and mobile phone transmission masts. Apart from direct fatalities or injuries via collision, such structures can also lead to habitat loss, displacement and disturbance.
WWT welcomes World Migratory Bird Day’s ‘barriers to migration’ campaign which aims to raise awareness of these man-made obstacles and encourage sustainable development along major migratory routes to minimise the threats to migrating birds.
One of the biggest issues is the increasing use of renewable technologies, such as wind farms, which whilst better for the environment, can have an impact on migrating birds. Recognising this, WWT is assessing the impact of technologies such as wind farms. For example, working with COWRIE (Collaborative Offshore Wind Research into the Environment) to monitor the migratory paths of 40 whooper swans in relation to existing offshore wind farms positioned in the Greater Wash and East Irish Sea areas, as well as other potential wind farm sites. The study is due to report at the end of the year.
This type of conservation work is extremely important to mitigate the impacts on bird migration. Since 2000, WWT has been carrying out aerial surveys in Welsh waters as part of the All Wales Common Scoter Survey. These revealed the presence of considerable numbers of common scoters in Liverpool Bay, Cardigan Bay and Carmarthen Bay – including some previously unknown concentrations. Through this work, WWT helped to secure Carmarthen Bay as the UK’s first marine Special Protection Area (SPA), and helped ensure that offshore wind farms in Liverpool Bay were sited away from the main scoter sites.
Eileen Rees, Head of UK Waterbird Conservation Programme, explains: “At WWT, we believe that renewable technologies are an important solution in the fight against climate change; we just need to be careful that there is minimal impact on important species. This year, World Migratory Bird Day is playing an important role in throwing the spotlight on some of the key barriers to migration so we can continue to make sure that our activities as humans and the desire for sustainable energy generation does not affect ducks, geese and swans both in their natural habitats, and on their migratory paths”.
